Veteran holding midfielder’s place at Eastlands is now under threat.
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Unsettled Manchester City midfield player Gareth Barry has moved a step closer to joining Arsenal this summer after opening talks with the north London club over a possible £4 million move to the Emirates this summer, says the Daily Star.
The some-time England international has been at Eastlands for the past four seasons now, having originally signed for the mega-rich Premier League club from Aston Villa on a five-year deal worth £12m in June 2009.
However, the 32-year-old is now understood to be concerned that he will not be part of new City head coach Manuel Pellegrini’s first-team plans in the north west next season, especially given the new players who have already arrived in his position at the club this summer.
As a result Barry, who has scored eight goals in his 175 matches in all competitions for City, including six strikes in his 132 Premier League contests, is now said to be seriously weighing up joining the Gunners this summer on a two-year deal worth £75,000 per week.
And although that would mean Barry taking a cut on his current £100, 000-per-week contract at City, the player feels he would stand a better chance of featuring in next summer’s World Cup finals in Brazil were he to be playing regularly next season.